The Scouting Report:
Denver Barkey from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, born on April 27th, 2005, is a draft-eligible prospect for the 2023 NHL entry draft in Nashville. Listed at 5’8″ and 174 pounds, Barkey is one of the smaller players in the draft class. Barkey has spent the previous two seasons with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, where he’s exploded in the 2022-23 season offensively. In his 2022-23 regular season campaign, Barkey posted 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points in 61 games. Barkey didn’t take his foot off the pedal come playoffs, posting 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 20 games. Denver Barkey loves the spotlight, and he can continue to work toward the spotlight if he continues to be a force offensively.
Related Page: 2023 NHL Draft – Nashville
Ranked #65 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #79 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #50 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #34 by DobberProspects
Ranked #47 by Recruit Scouting
Ranked #70 by Draft Prospects Hockey
Ranked #65 by Daily Faceoff
Conrad Jack of Inside the Rink has Denver Barkey projected at 74th overall.
This is a prospect who’s absolutely going to fall farther than most have him projected because of his size. Though what saves his skin is his hardworking nature and his foot speed.
Diving Deeper:
I’ve briefly gone over some of Denver Barkey’s attributes, so let’s dive deeper into Barkey’s attributes and areas for improvement.
Skating:
Denver Barkey is a strong skater, as I’ve briefly mentioned already, he is a fast skater, and his natural quickness is certainly why he stands out. Barkey uses his edges to get a ton of work done and is incredibly balanced on his two feet. I don’t see this being a major issue come draft day for many teams, mainly, it will be the biggest asset they see in Denver Barkey.
Areas for Improvement:
I think Denver Barkey’s biggest area for improvement certainly has to be his defensive play. Barkey is a solid offensive player, but he lacks a ton of defensive awareness and ability. This will certainly be a huge consideration for teams looking to draft Denver Barkey come draft day in Nashville.
Prospect Potential:
Denver Barkey has the potential to be a solid bottom-six forward, he’s fun to watch with the puck and can be a solid weapon to have offensively. His only issues are his small size, lack of defensive play, and tendency to shy away from contact. However, the foot speed and potential that Barkey has is likely a huge selling point for whoever drafts him.
Final Thoughts:
I really think Denver Barkey can become a solid forward in the NHL, it’s just a matter of development and practice. Barkey can use the fact that he’s fun to watch to his advantage and help teams fill seats throughout the season. Barkey might be a missing piece for any championship-winning team.
Stats via Elite Prospects
Highlights via MyNHLDraft.com
